Incognito
by magwitch
Summary: Starts from Dangerous Liaisons, 3x14. Bonnie attends the ball, after all, and collides with one of the Originals with some messy consequences.
1. Chapter 1

**um, first fanfic so kind of nervous. I've been writing stuff for myself for a while but never had the guts to publish. So I'm not sure how it will go. Hope you like it!**

* * *

_She wore blue velvet _  
_ Bluer than velvet was the night _  
_ Softer than satin was the light _  
_ From the stars_

Lana Del Rey - Blue Velvet

* * *

In retrospect, I should have realized the minute Caroline called me that this was a terrible idea.

I don't know why I said yes; I guess my friends can get me to do anything, sadly. And this is Caroline we're talking about. She would never take no for an answer. She practically _forced_ me to do it. But I can't put all the blame on her. I have to admit; I was more than just a little bit curious to attend a _ball_ thrown by the Originals. I mean, who wouldn't be?

"So, you want me to be your _wing man_?" I asked over the phone, incredulous.

"Umm, sort of! I know how it sounds, but I need you there to have my back. I know you're gonna say I should ask Elena but she'll be way too busy dealing with her own drama and I don't think she can take on an Original."

"So, you're afraid of Klaus but you're still going to be his date?"

"It's not a date, Bonnie! It's... well, call it an experiment. He's suddenly interested in me and I wanna know why. I also want to know what I can get out of it. Tyler is sired to him and if there's a way for me to help him, I will do it."

"And manipulation is the only viable solution."

"Will you stop judging? You know you'd do the same."

"No, actually, I'd stay far, far away from him. He told Tyler to bite you, Caroline."

"I know, but he _did_ feed me his blood to save me. That has to mean something. I have to use it against him."

"You do realize that's an awful plan, right?"

"Come on, Bon. Ninety nine percent of my plans work and you know it."

"They usually involve town events or charities."

"This _is_ a town event, technically speaking."

"You won't stop until I say yes, will you?"

"Nope."

"Well, I guess I'd worry less if I were there..."

"See? I knew you'd see it my way."

"There's just one problem; I'm not invited."

"What do you mean you're not invited? Everyone is! Didn't you get your invitation in the mail?"

I tried not to sound resentful. "Guess not. They must not like witches."

Who was I kidding? It did rub me the wrong way that everyone had been invited except me.

This might have been one of the reasons I agreed to crash the party anyway.

* * *

Getting a ball gown in half a day was kind of impossible.

In the end, I had to go with the dress I'd worn at the Lockwood masquerade ball the year before. It wasn't exactly appropriate, but I had nothing better. And for a gatecrasher, I was putting enough effort.

When I took a final look in the mirror, I realized why I was feeling uncomfortable. This was the dress I wore the night Jeremy and I became more than friends.

He had a way of getting inside my head even when I was putting on a stupid dress. I used to be good at getting over stuff. I spent most of my childhood not minding that mom and dad were never around. I didn't care I was alone. I thought growing older would make me stronger, but I guess that's just another myth.

Chin up, you have a fancy ball to attend uninvited.

* * *

Well, I can tell you one thing; the newly renovated Mikaelson Family Mansion was _huge_. It looked like one of those old plantation houses you see in _Gone With The Wind_. Walking through the front doors felt like entering a different world, one where gowns, chandeliers, butlers and old money are still a thing.

Well, if this _were_ 19th-century Virginia, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be all dressed up. I'd probably be somewhere in the kitchens.

I was hoping the number of people attending this thing would make me fit in seamlessly, but I guess I was the only person there with above-the-knee attire. That made me stand out a bit.

Suddenly, thousands of eyes were trained on me.

I felt exposed.

Any minute now, one of those polished butlers would take me by the arm and escort me outside.

I desperately looked around for Caroline. My so-called bravery was wearing thin.

I tried to act like I belonged there, walking purposely towards one of the living rooms.

I spotted Matt across the room, talking to Rebekah Mikaelson, of all people. Even so, I felt relieved to see him. Maybe he could vouch for me, or at least tell me where I could find Caroline. But as I made my way to them, I saw him take Rebekah by the arm and next thing I know, I was standing in the ball room and there were dozens of couples dancing on the floor all around me. The two had conveniently vanished.

_Great. Now what?_

There was only enough space to stand next to the wall and watch. I'd seen this kind of dancing at Miss Mystic Falls. I wasn't exactly a fan. Don't get me wrong; I fawn over period movies like every other person, but I prefer to jump around and make a fool of myself if I'm going to dance.

I looked around to see if there were other unfortunate souls like me, stuck to the wall until the end of the song.

As my eyes traveled across the room, I suddenly spotted Elena...dancing with Damon. Uh-oh. This wasn't exactly ideal, seeing as Stefan was somewhere around. Caroline had been right about the drama.

And speaking of Caroline, was that her, on Klaus' arm?

My jaw almost dropped. Caroline was dancing with Klaus. And they were talking. And _smiling_. They actually seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Huh, maybe she didn't need a wing man, after all.

Oh, things were getting interesting. Elena was now dancing with Stefan. And they looked _tense_.

Damon was dancing with Rebekah, but it was obvious they wanted to be anywhere else.

Caroline had switched over to Matt. And they were arguing.

All I needed was some popcorn and this would be like watching PBS at home.

As I followed the couples and their respective dramas, I finally found the other person who was not dancing either.

He was leaning against the wall opposite me.

I saw him through the throng of dancers.

He seemed just as amused as I was by the display. That or he just constantly smirked like that. He was impeccably dressed and I'd be lying if I said he wasn't attractive. I hadn't seen him around town, though. And this is a pretty small town. You know pretty much everyone by default. So, newcomer, or...

Our eyes suddenly met. He must've caught me staring. It's not my fault. He's the only other non-moving person in this room.

He raised himself a little. I saw his eyebrow raise quizzically. He was probably wondering what someone like me was doing there.

I quickly looked away, embarrassed.

The song was ending anyway, so I could finally exit the ball room without bumping into anyone.

But as I turned away, I felt a pair of eyes following me.

The same guy was now walking towards me, slowly, circling the dancing couples.

For some unknown reason, I panicked and turned in the opposite direction. I didn't want to confront him. Not only would it blow my cover, but I just knew it would go wrong somehow.

I looked over my shoulder. He was still following me.

We were a funny sight, walking around the room, spying on each other, avoiding the dancers.

I eventually found the door and ran into the hallway, relieved. Better steer clear from the ball room.

Wobbling slightly, I made my way to the buffet.

I wasn't there for long, unfortunately. One of the butlers posted himself in front of me awkwardly. I thought he was going to offer me a glass of champagne, but then there would be no point for the security guys standing next to him, would there?

"I'm very sorry to inconvenience you, Miss, but may I see your invitation, please?" the butler asked in a faux-British accent.

I started fumbling nervously with my purse, pretending I had misplaced it.

"Um, it was here somewhere, I swear it was here a minute ago..." I trailed off, poking through my purse as if I were looking for a tent or something of similar size.

I could feel the cold sweat on my back.

Well, the ruse had been nice while it had lasted.

I looked up embarrassed. "Seems like I lost it. Must've fallen on the way in."

The two exchanged a look.

"But some of my friends are here. They could...um, prove I was invited. Can you call Elena Gilbert or Caroline Forbes or..."

"I'm afraid I'll have to escort you out, Miss. It's the rules," the security guard intervened.

My shoulders sagged in disappointment.

"Fair enough."

To his credit, he led me out in the nicest, gentlest way possible. He even offered to let me go through the back. But no, if I was making my exit, I was going out the same way I'd gotten in.

We were already near the front doors when someone suddenly blocked our way.

Oh, God. It was the same guy from the ball room. And he was now going to witness my not-so-elegant departure.

"I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding," he said in what seemed to be a genuine British accent. "The young lady is with me. I have been trying to find her."

His eyes sparkled with mischief. He looked frustratingly handsome.

"Oh, I apologize, Mr. Mikaelson, I had no idea."

_Mikaleson__?! _He was an Original? Well, shi-

"It's quite all right. I'll take it from here."

I was too shocked to do anything when he placed my hand around his arm and led me back into the hallway.

"Well, you're a brave little thing. Showing up unannounced, in that rather revealing dress. I have to say, it's refreshing."

I quickly pulled away.

"Mikaelson? As in _the_ Mikaelsons? The people who are throwing this ball?"

"You must have missed the opening. Lucky you. I had to stand up with my family. It was all very tedious."

"Um, right, well, it was nice meeting you, but I have to go now..." I mumbled, pointing towards the ball room. "My friends are waiting for me."

His eyes were laughing at me again.

"Aren't you going to thank me for letting you stay?"

"I'm not going to stay much longer."

"Even so, I told that man you are my date. I _lied_ on your behalf."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He had a point, I suppose.

"Thank you," I replied reluctantly.

"I'm afraid a simple thank you won't do. You are going to have to keep up appearances," he quipped, offering his arm again.

I looked down at it warily.

"Why would you want that?"

"Well, everyone else is taken. And no one is wearing such a delicious little number."

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not up for it."

"I don't usually take no for an answer," he replied with a steely look in his eye.

"There's a first time for everything."

He tilted his head in interest.

"You've got a bit of spunk in you. I like that."

He suddenly stepped into my personal space, invading it completely. His hand was on my chin and his eyes were boring into mine.

"But I'm afraid I've no time for banter."

I almost wanted to laugh. My hand pressed firmly into his chest.

"You aren't seriously trying to compel _me_."

The look on his face was priceless. He was at a loss for words. He recovered quickly, though.

"I see... you're a bit different, aren't you?" he asked coolly.

"To put it lightly. You might be an Original, but even _your_ powers are limited."

He doubled up again in shock. I found it strangely satisfying to confuse him. It wiped that smirk off his face.

"So, what _else_ does the little intruder know?"

I only now realized his fingers had circled my arm.

"How to give you several aneurysms, among other things, if you don't let go of me."

His eyes darkened considerably at my words. And his grip only tightened. I tried to keep a straight face. I was getting kind of nervous.

"Let's see it, then. Try a number on me."

It was my time to stare at him in wonder. No vampire's ever asked me to willingly give him horrible head pain.

"Go on. I'm ready when you are," he added with a smile that sent chills all through my body.

"You're..._serious_?"

"Why not? It's not like I haven't had _witches_ before."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Do it, then. I'm waiting."

He was taunting me. He knew I'd make a scene. I felt exposed again. He knew I was a witch. I knew he was an Original. Only trouble could come from this.

I gritted my teeth in frustration.

"I can't do it here, like this. I _won't_ do it."

He chuckled, making me blush red with anger.

"You might be a witch, but even _your_ powers are limited," he replied, echoing my previous words.

Well, if I couldn't hurt him I could protect myself.

A jolt went through my skin and his fingers quickly let go of me, as if burnt.

"I can do _that_, at least."

He chuckled again. "Oh, Nik would just love _you_."

"Klaus? I highly doubt it." I had almost killed him, hadn't I?

"Of course, I found you first, so you're _my_ little witch now. He's had plenty."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Excuse me?! _Your little witch?_"

"Well, yes. I haven't had one in centuries. Been locked up, you see. I think you'd be a rather good fit. I enjoy a challenge."

"You have another thing coming if you think I'm going to let you treat me like this."

"Ah, the fiery ones are always so much fun."

My nostrils flared and I felt the magic tingling at the tip of my fingers. The air around us started to crackle. He was pushed back a couple of steps.

"Easy there, darling. Wouldn't want to be making a scene, would you?"

"And what if I did?"

"Well, then, I'm afraid your _friends_ would suffer the consequences. You did mention they were waiting for you."

"You don't even know who they are."

"True. So I would have to...eliminate some by-standers in the process," he replied with a devilish smirk on his lips. "And trust me, I am a little bit faster and stronger than your average vampire. I will have decapitated half the room before you can even begin to give me an aneurysm."

I tried to suppress the shiver that ran down my body.

To everyone around us, we probably looked like normal people chatting. He was doing his best to look like he was having an entertaining conversation and nothing more.

"Let's say I believe you..." I began cautiously. "What do you want from me?"

He smiled, revealing his teeth.

"Let's start with a dance, shall we? And then you can tell me how you know _all_ about me and my family."

"I don't _do_ that kind of dancing."

"Neither do I. We shall make quite the pair."

"And if I say no?"

"Let's just say, mother will be _furious_ at the mess I've made," he replied lightly, as if he was sharing some funny joke.

I sighed and placed my hand in his. This night couldn't possibly get any worse.

"I knew I shouldn't have come."

"On the contrary, darling. You've made this dismal affair much more interesting."

"If it's so _dismal_, why don't you leave?"

"Don't tempt me. You know I'd take you with me. One doesn't come across witches very often."

I rolled my eyes. Why had I not kept my mouth shut? Did he have a thing for witches? Was he unable to stand rejection? Out of all the psychopath vampires in my life, why did this one have to be an Original?

"You wouldn't be able to take me anywhere."

"Well, I managed to get you on the dance floor, didn't I?"

"And that's the furthest you'll get with me."

"We'll see about that."

He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me to him. Before I knew what was happening, we were moving to the music.

* * *

_TBC_


	2. Chapter 2

**second chapter! thanks to all the reviewers, I didn't expect to get so many, you're all awesome!**

** thanks to puppyangel7, I'm happy you could see the events unfold :)  
**

**please tell me if you like the new chapter! **

* * *

_You live your life _

_You go in shadows _

_You'll come apart and you'll go black _

_Some kind of night into your darkness _

_Colors your eyes with what's not there._

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

* * *

I wasn't being modest when I told him I don't do this kind of dance. I'd never trained for Miss Mystic Falls, because the pageant seemed kind of boring to me, but here I was, trying to Jane-Austen myself into ballroom dancing. For what? Oh, right, for the sake of pretty much everyone around us.

And they weren't even grateful for my sacrifice. Most of them kept staring at us. Either they were impressed I was on the dance floor or that I was dancing with one of the Mikaelsons.

He was much lighter on his feet, so as long as I followed his steps I would be okay, but it was pretty hard to focus on the task when I was fully aware I was dancing with a thousand-year old murderer. To make matters worse, I started wondering how many people he'd killed over the years, drawing up imaginary numbers in my head. I'd reached over five thousand when I suddenly felt his hand snake around my waist again. The contact sent a jolt through me.

The song had changed. New dance.

"Mazzy Star," I blurted out, blinking rapidly. He was too close again, invading my personal bubble. I had been doing fairly well up to this point, making clumsy pirouettes and holding his hand at the right moment. The dance had been sort of innocent. But now we were gonna switch to a modern slow dance, which...

"Who?" he asked, faintly amused.

"The band. I know the song. One of my favorites."

I have no idea why I felt the need to tell him that. It's not like _Fade Into You_ would resonate with him on a deep, emotional level. And I didn't want it to. It was _my_ song. He'd ruin it.

Well, it was ruined either way. I'd always pictured dancing on this song at prom with someone I actually _liked_.

Guess I had to add this fantasy to the list of hypothetical victims.

"Ah, yes, modern music. Not exactly the stuff of dancing, is it? But I find myself enjoying it, sentimental as it might be."

I wrinkled my nose. Was he criticizing my taste in music?

"So," I began bravely, "how much longer do we have to do this?"

He arched his eyebrow in what I think was meant to be disapproval.

"When you put it like that, you make it sound like an ordeal."

"You practically _forced_ me to dance."

"Don't tell me you would've sat all night watching everyone else enjoy themselves."

"Well, no. I would've left."

"And what then? You would have spent some idle hours at home thinking about the ball? Admit it, you wanted a partner."

I rolled my eyes. He really thought he had me figured out?

"And you just _had_ to be that partner."

"I always like to be of service."

"How noble of you. Maybe you can extend your services to someone else."

He did not reply. Instead he glanced across my shoulder at the couples around us. For a moment, I almost believed he might do just that; find himself another "pretty little thing".

No such luck though.

"I'm assuming from the scene I witnessed before that you snuck into our house uninvited," he spoke, pulling me closer. "Therefore, I must also assume you _wanted_ to be here. And no one comes to a ball just for the view. Well..._I_ certainly don't mind the view."

I threw him a look. Those lewd remarks were pathetic, at best.

"I had... other reasons to be here," I explained reluctantly.

"Such as?"

"Such as it's none of your business."

"Might I remind you whom you're talking to?" His voice acquired that steely edge again and I felt his nails digging into my hips.

"Might I remind you whom _you_'_re_ talking to?" I echoed, glaring.

He chuckled.

"I forget how headstrong you are. But where are my manners? You're actually right. You have no idea who I am."

He suddenly stopped and took my hand in his. The song was ending. As the final note came to an end, he pressed his lips to my hand.

"_Kol_ Mikaelson. Be_witched_ Original." His lips curled into a smirk.

Oh, he probably thought he was very clever for that pun.

I, on the other hand, was dying of embarrassment. If, before, only some people were watching us, now that the song had ended, _everyone_ was staring.

"And you are?" he asked, still holding my hand.

I tried to yank it away but his grip was relentless.

I'd already exposed myself too much. Giving him my name would only make it worse.

"Bonnie?" a voice called behind me.

I shut my eyes in frustration. In any other context, I would be happy to run into Caroline.

"Ah, brother, I see you have found the Bennett witch."

_Klaus?_ Klaus was here too? Oh, this night was just getting better and better.

He didn't seem all too pleased to find me there, judging by the slits his eyes had become. "I do not recall inviting _you_."

"I invited her," Caroline spoke boldly, tearing herself away from Klaus.

"Did you now, love?"

"Come on, Bonnie, we need to um, check our make up. We'll be back soon," she yelped, dragging me away from the scene.

I was grateful for her intervention, but when I looked back, I saw Kol following me with his eyes. I wasn't sure I'd gotten rid of him for good.

"Bonnie, what were you doing dancing with Kol, of all people?" she asked once we were out of earshot.

I raised my eyebrows. Caroline was lecturing _me_ about dancing with Originals?

"I'm sorry, for a moment there I forgot Klaus is your _date_."

"That's different!" she sputtered. "I'm not really his date, it's just pretend. I don't really _want_ to dance with him."

"Oh and you think I want to play nice with Kol? I didn't even know who he was before he accosted me!"

"Did he hurt you?" Caroline asked, concern etched on her face.

"No, of course not," I sighed. "He wouldn't be able to, anyway. But he did threaten to harm _others_ unless I...joined him."

"Wow, Klaus only sent me a dress and some jewelry. This guy is _intense_."

"Klaus was _courting_ you. Kol is harassing me. I don't know, I think he's just bored. Wasn't he locked up for centuries or something? He probably just wants attention."

_Yes, attention_, I told myself, hoping to get rid of this antsy feeling in my gut. There was something unpredictable and dangerous about him, but in a completely different way from the other Originals I'd met.

"Klaus told me he's a bit reckless."

"So now you're chatting with Klaus about his family?"

"Bonnie!"

"Relax, I'm not afraid of him." It was almost true. Almost.

"I know you're not but ...I'm afraid for you."

"You don't have to be. I'm here to have _your_ back, remember?"

Caroline laughed, shaking her head.

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so selfish - I shouldn't have made you come."

"It's all right. It's...well, it's _bad_, but I'd feel worse knowing you, Elena and Matt were here unprotected."

"You shouldn't have to worry about us all the time, though."

"Hey, I wouldn't be me if I didn't," I replied, smiling. I meant it.

Caroline pulled me in a quick hug. "Love you, Bon."

"Love you too, Caroline."

"By the way, _what_ are you wearing?"

* * *

After Caroline left, it was Matt's turn to act as the worried parent. He found me by the stairs. I was just about ready to leave the party for good.

"Guess it's been a crazy night for all of us, eh, Bon?"

"Yeah, none of us were spared from dancing with the Originals. Where's Rebekah anyway?"

"We went for a walk outside. She wanted to talk to her brother. Don't know which one. She's - uh, don't tell anyone and especially her, but she's sorta cute. I mean I know she's bad news, but she's not _all_ bad."

"Really?" I asked, smirking. "Well, you and Caroline have better luck, I guess."

"So Kol...?"

"Is _all_ bad, yes."

"Well, I mean if his sister can be nice, maybe he's not that -"

"If this guy has a softer side, I don't want to see it. And we _just_ danced. That's it. It's not like we're gonna spend all night together."

Matt chuckled. "That _would_ be weird. Well, if you're not spoken for, maybe you'd like to dance with me?"

"Oh, Matt, I'd love to, but -" I was going to tell him I was on my way out. I didn't get the chance.

"I'm afraid Miss Bennett already has an escort, _Donovan_."

Oh, hell.

Kol Mikaelson was right behind me. I could _feel_ his glower.

"My sister is actually looking for you. Wouldn't want to make her wait, would you?" he asked coolly.

Matt seemed to be torn between staying here with me and leaving to find Rebekah.

"Go. I'll be fine," I assured him with a smile.

Once he was out of the picture, I felt a glass of wine being slipped into my fingers.

"Did you really think you could hide from me?"

"What makes you think I've got anything to hide?"

"I don't know, you were _very_ reluctant to reveal your identity. Now I know why, _Bonnie_."

He eyed me with a smug look, as if he'd solved the big mystery.

"If you think I'm afraid of you or Klaus, you've got another thing coming. I can do to you exactly what I did to him."

"But you failed, didn't you? You never got to finish him off."

"Only because Elijah betrayed us. I would have killed him otherwise," I replied, feigning nonchalance. Inside, I was a lot less calm.

"You know, an hour ago I might have given up on you, but now that I know you're the witch that nearly got rid of him -"

"What, you're going to exact your revenge?" I asked, feeling my cheeks burning. "Go ahead and try."

I knew it wasn't exactly wise to challenge him so openly but I refused to be intimidated.

Out of the blue, he threw his head back and started laughing raucously.

"_Revenge_? Sweetheart, I want to _reward_ you. In fact, I'm sorry you never finished the job."

"But - he's your brother."

"Yes. The same brother who kept me in a box for more than one hundred years. Frankly, I wouldn't mind watching him burn."

He chinked his glass with mine.

"In fact, let's toast to it. To Nik's perdition!"

"You're actually serious."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

I suppressed the instinct to roll my eyes for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," a celestial voice above us suddenly spoke. We both looked up at the same time.

A beautiful older woman looked down at us, holding herself gracefully at the top of the stairs.

My stomach suddenly dropped.

Of course, _Esther_. The bitter reminder that Abby and I had almost drained our magic for the witch that had started it all.

"Mother loves giving speeches. You'll get used to it."

"Waiters are coming round with champagne," Esther continued, pointing at the trays being carried in by a small army of people in uniform.

"I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

Kol had already picked up two glasses for the two of us.

"I suppose now we _must_ toast to the family," he teased, raising his glass.

I was about to sip from mine, when I was instantly overwhelmed by a powerful sensation of nausea. I almost gasped. It even smelled like it. Magic, very old magic.

"Wait," I spoke without thinking. "This isn't champagne."

Kol didn't look smug for once. He seemed confused. I took his glass and inspected the swirling contents. It was the same spell.

"This isn't right. Everyone needs to stop drinking -"

But it was too late. Dozens of people around us were sipping from their glasses happily.

I held my breath for a moment, wondering what the next second might bring.

And then... nothing.

Everyone seemed and looked the same. No one had undergone any sudden changes.

"Bonnie?" Kol asked warily. He didn't sound amused anymore.

I looked at him and realized he had no idea what had just happened.

"Someone is trying to cast a spell on you."

* * *

_TBC_


	3. Chapter 3

**third chapter! really excited I got so many reviews and you've all been so amazing! I'm so glad everyone liked the twist!**

**thanks to Guest reviewer, you're very kind :)**

**I'm really anxious about the new chapter, hope you all like it!  
**

* * *

_Waiting in a car_

_Waiting for a ride in the dark_

_The night city grows_

_Look and see her eyes, they glow_

M83 - Midnight City

* * *

"What exactly do you mean someone's trying to cast a spell on me?"

We had moved out of earshot and were now standing in a corridor, alone, away from the crowd. Kol sounded completely serious and even a bit alarmed.

I'd only known him for two hours but he didn't seem the type to get worried. This must be big.

"I can't explain it, but something's wrong with the drink. It's got old magic all over it."

"Couldn't you be more specific?"

Oh, sure, no "thank you, Bonnie." Straight to demanding stuff.

"I'd need to check it out."

"Fine. Come with me."

Oh, great. What now? Did I really have to go with him? It was bad enough we were alone; now we were heading towards an unknown part of the house.

This is what I got for trying to help.

"Where are we going?"

I was still holding the ominous champagne glass. And I really wished I was in my bed right now, laptop in my lap and mug of tea on my night stand. But that wouldn't happen in the near future, would it?

Eventually, we stopped in front of a pair of double doors, set in heavy wood.

We stepped inside a large study room. The air was stuffy and musky, like no one had been inside for a while. The windows were barred by thick curtains. There were oil paintings on the walls, the kind you see in museums. Knowing the Originals, these very well _could_ be from a museum.

Kol headed towards the mahogany desk that was lying in the shadows and turned on a small lamp.

The whole room was now cast in a warm, comforting glow.

This didn't really reassure me, though. He was still staring at me with that steely look in his eye. I'd seen it on Elijah and Klaus before. It spelled trouble every single time.

"Well? Come along, then."

I calmly walked up to him, though my legs were sort of uncooperative. I placed the champagne glass on the table.

"I need to do a configuration spell."

"I know. You'll have to spread the liquid on a lean insulator," he said, placing a sheet of paper on the desk.

I stared at him, amazed.

"How do you know -"

"I've been around witches before, darling. I appreciate the craft."

His voice was light again, but not cajoling.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe," I muttered, looking down. I poured the liquid on the paper and it began to spread in a compact shape.

I closed my eyes and let the spirits channel their power through me.

"How is it coming?" he asked when he saw me release a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Well, it's putting up a fight, but I'm getting some information. I think it was designed for...well, _you_ specifically. Not just any vampire. An Original. So if your whole family drank from it..."

His jaw clenched.

"I think I'm starting to have an inkling," he said bitterly.

"Whatever it is, it's something that's affecting all of you, like a kind of special connection," I continued, watching the liquid and its mutations.

He shook his head and laughed. The sound almost made me jump. Of all the things you could expect in this situation, laughter was not one of them.

"Of course _she_'d do this. She's the only one capable of such duplicity. I should have known from the start."

"She? You don't mean -"

But I think I'd known for a while. I just hadn't come to grips with it yet. Why would their own mother try to cast a spell on them?

"Who else is there? Who else would like to see us dead and buried? Who else is as insane as our mother?" he lashed out angrily.

"But why would she want that?"

He instantly realized who he was talking to, because he turned away and sealed his mouth shut. I don't think he'd planned to open up like that in front of me.

"What are you gonna do?" I asked dumbly.

"I suppose Elijah and Finn would be rather upset if I ripped out her heart."

"No, I think they'd pat you on the back." He didn't catch on my sarcasm, though. He kept pacing the room up and down. He seemed volatile.

I held my hand over the liquid and focused on its substance. Soon, the whole thing evaporated into thin air, leaving a sweet scent behind.

"You have to tell your brothers and sister."

"No, what I have to do is put my mother back in that blasted coffin."

"She's a _witch_. A really powerful one. I doubt you'd be able to take her down."

Kol turned towards me and flashed me one of those unsettling smiles that told me he was up to no good.

"You're right, I do need to tell the others. Maybe they'd like to join."

"As for you, you aren't to tell anyone about this, understand?" he demanded stiffly.

Okay, he had a _lot_ of nerve telling me what to do. If it hadn't been for me, he would've probably drunk that champagne without thinking twice about it.

And now he was telling me to be quiet?!

Like hell.

"Excuse me, but are you forgetting you wouldn't even be here without me?"

Kol's eyes narrowed into slits. He seemed annoyed by my presence now.

"And you're forgetting _you_ wouldn't be here without me," he replied crisply.

"You're not seriously implying that driving that security guard away was the same thing."

"Do you want me to thank you properly, is that it?" he asked, his voice acquiring a sort of husk to it.

I had become aware my body was trapped against the desk and he was once again invading my personal bubble, hovering over me like I was his shiny new toy. Matter of fact, that had been the treatment all night. I'd been that curiosity that had caught his eye.

"A little gratitude wouldn't hurt," I told him boldly. "Especially since I'd never bother helping someone like you under different circumstances."

"Different circumstances or not, witches have a knack for helping vampires, have you noticed? Must be in their contract," he quipped, smirking.

"Well, that's a pretty stupid contract. Glad I never signed it."

He chuckled and his hands suddenly landed on each side of the desk, closing me in.

"But you did help me, didn't you? This is a tricky situation, very tricky. I might need your help again."

"Like that's gonna happen. I only helped you now because - because I was worried for my friends. If I'd known it was just about you and your family, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid."

Suddenly, I heard noises outside the room.

Kol's hand flew up to my mouth. He placed his index finger on his lips.

I growled in annoyance, but remained quiet. Whoever was behind those doors, I didn't want them to witness what was happening inside.

I heard the knob turning. Well, crap.

Kol's hand was around my arm instantly and he pulled me at super-speed into one of the heavy wardrobes fixed to the wall.

I'd been manhandled by a vampire before, but this kind of speed left me light-headed and dizzy.

I leaned against the wood, trying to regain balance. Kol was inches away from me. It was very dark, except for a sliver of light coming through a crack in the wardrobe door. He hadn't managed to seal it shut. I was breathing in and out noisily, trying not to go into full-panic mode. His overbearing presence was definitely not helping.

I could practically feel his chest touching mine and his breath, or whatever was qualified as breath, falling on my hair. And I couldn't move because the wardrobe was super old and squeaked at any movement. Half of it was filled with shelves containing antique statuettes. We were lucky the other half was just empty space where someone had dumped some table cloths.

I could clearly hear voices in the study now. And someone moving about.

My whole body itched. I rarely get claustrophobic, but it happens. It was happening right now.

I suddenly sank my nails into his shoulder, trying to keep my heartbeat from spiralling.

Kol must have sensed something was up because he placed his hand over mine. The cool skin had a calming effect but it did little to get rid of the sensation that I was sinking in slowly.

"Are you sure all of them drank the champagne?" the voice in the study asked.

I think both our stomachs dropped at the same time.

_Esther._

"I'm fairly sure. I watched them carefully. Although...I didn't get a very good look at Kol. He was...with someone. Some young girl."

Even through the dark, I could see Kol was shocked.

I wondered who the second voice belonged to.

"That's to be expected. It seems all my children have fallen prey to the Mystic Falls locals. Elijah is all but proclaiming his love to Elena. Rebekah was dancing with that simpleton. And I saw Niklaus with that pretty blonde. Kol doesn't surprise me. He's always chasing some strumpet."

Wait, had she just called me...what I think she called me?

"Let's hope she was just that. I saw him leave with her moments afterwards. They haven't returned."

"What are you trying to tell me, Finn? That you don't know whether Kol drank the champagne or not?"

"I - no, he would have had no reason not to drink it. I'd only like to make sure. That girl, there was something odd about her."

"Odd?"

Okay, if I was panicking before, I was going into full gear now. I squeezed Kol's shoulder frantically. He shook his head and pressed his finger to his lips again.

"It was just a feeling. But after a thousand years I've stopped believing in simple feelings."

"Well, then, find your brother and make sure he's drunk his glass, if he hasn't. After that, dispose of the girl if she becomes a threat."

I started screaming internally. What was happening? What was _going_ to happen?

"I'm going to start the spell to see if they are all connected. I will find out if he's missing from the tree. He better be not, Finn. Remember, I need all of you bound to each other so that when one of you is killed, all go."

And that's when I felt it; Kol's reaction to this information. He leaned into me as if something powerful had struck him from above. His breath now tickled the back of my neck. My knees collided with his and I felt one of my legs trapped between his.

My chin was now perched atop his other shoulder.

A short spasm went through his body, as if he'd suffered a shock. He probably had.

I felt incredibly awkward and uncomfortable in our current intimate position, but my mind was elsewhere, going over what Esther had said. Especially the part where she had told Finn to dispose of me.

I heard the rooms opening and closing. Esther was now probably alone in the room.

It occurred to me that this would be the perfect time for Kol to attack her. Seems like the same thought crossed his mind because he turned from me and placed his hand on the door.

My breath hitched in my throat.

"Kol, wait!" I whispered furiously.

He was going to expose the both of us to the Original witch. I was not letting that happen. I wasn't remotely ready for that kind of confrontation.

I grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him.

"Don't do this!" I whispered in his ear.

He shook his head as if to shoo an annoying insect.

"You owe me!" I persisted, growing desperate.

That seemed to make him pause. I had been squeezing his arm this entire time, I realized.

At first I thought he'd ignore me completely and burst out of the wardrobe recklessly, but after a couple of moments he settled back in his old spot. He'd listened to me.

He wasn't happy about it, but he'd listened.

We waited in silence, counting the minutes. By now, the wardrobe had turned into a sauna and my oxygen was running low.

I could hear Esther muttering something under her breath. An incantation. I only caught fragments. But I wasn't sure I could identify the spell even if I heard it fully. It definitely wasn't in my Grimoire.

After what felt like a small eternity, the double doors finally burst open again.

"Did you find him?"

"No luck. I looked everywhere. I'm getting worried. This isn't like him."

"Well, you _should_ be worried," Esther replied with a heavy sigh. "I completed the spell. He's out of the loop."

"What- what do you mean?"

"He's not part of the tree. He is impervious."

* * *

_TBC_


	4. Chapter 4

**fourth chapter, because I had some spare time! can I just say I never expected to get this many reviews and I'm so humbled :) thank you!  
**

**this new chapter is a bit of a filler. it's more action-oriented because Kol and Bonnie are on the move. next chapter will be more about them together.  
**

**I really hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

_Stay half light_

_Half night and day _

_Trade half life _

_Stolen Away _

_Fade black light, white light and stay_

Low - Half Light

* * *

"I _will_ find him. I promise, mother. And when I do, I will force it down his throat if it's the last thing I do."

I flinched at the sternness of his voice. Finn didn't pull any punches. He really was bent on getting his brother and the rest of his family killed.

I wasn't yet sure how that would happen since, being crammed inside such a narrow space didn't leave me much room to contemplate Esther's plans, but I gathered that if one died, they all did. Like if you knocked down one domino piece, they'd all fall down. Okay, fine, but how do you knock down that first piece? Hadn't the White Oak Stake been burnt along with Mikael? Or... had Esther kept a spare? Maybe she thought channeling enough power as a witch would do the trick.

"Oh, be quiet! You can't undo what's already been done! It's too late now. Even if you do find him, it's no use."

"There must be something -"

"The ritual has been completed _without_ him. Do you know what that means? That means that when I turn you and your brethren into mortals, he will still be an Original."

I couldn't read Kol's reaction through the dark, but he must've looked as baffled as me. My hand accidentally brushed against his chest and I noticed he'd gone as rigid as a marble statue. I'd been around vampires long enough to know this was the calm before the storm. He was going to explode soon. His fists were already clenched. His muscles tense. His body trembling in anticipation. I knew the signs. He wouldn't be able to keep his temper under control for much longer. And this time, my pleas wouldn't really cut it.

Esther and Finn had to leave, right now.

"We must find a way to turn him. You are the most powerful witch alive. Surely, nothing is beyond your powers."

"I don't know... I might be able to undo the damage. I am counting on the Bennett line to help me. Their line is the oldest and strongest."

I almost gasped out loud. Kol's fingers dug into my arm, silencing me. For a split second, I was afraid they might've heard me.

I held my breath.

"What I want to know now is _who_ did this to me."

"What do you mean, mother?"

"I mean, Finn, _someone_ prevented Kol from drinking that champagne. Either he was warned beforehand, or it was an accident. Either way, someone interfered. I want that person _found_."

"You think - you think it might have been that girl he was standing next to?"

"Would you recognize her if you saw her again?"

"I believe so."

"Then track her _down_. You know what to do afterwards."

"Understood."

I heard the double doors open with a creak and the room was cast in silence once again.

Kol rushed out first. I wobbled after him, not sure whether this was reality or some disturbing nightmare I couldn't escape.

They were both gone. We were alone. I felt my insides churning in fear. I was going to be sick soon.

"Kol - your brother - he saw me - " I began in chopped sentences, my hands shaking.

He was eerily calm for someone in his position. I thought he'd burst out violently after his mother and brother, but he just remained quiet and walked to the windows, peering through the curtains as if he'd found something of interest.

"He's - he's going to kill me, isn't he?"

Kol smiled bitterly. "He'd call it differently, but yes. If he plans to do away with _me_, why should you be an exception?"

"Oh, God. Oh, God, what am I going to do?"

"You almost killed Nik once, didn't you? I don't suppose Finn poses much of a challenge in comparison."

"I had the power of a hundred witches back then," I confessed, biting my lip.

He only raised an eyebrow in response, but didn't make any other gesture or comment. I could read it all over his face, though. He wasn't exactly hiding the ego boost.

I hadn't really meant to tell him about that, but in that moment, I felt he was the only one who could help me.

You know it's a strange night when an Original seems like your only safe option.

It's just that, whether I liked it or not, we were both involved; we were in this together. He'd gotten me in this mess and I'd gone and made a bigger one.

I mean, sure, the blame lay with him mostly, but I had to admit, no one had forced me to take his champagne glass. I don't know what I would've done had I known what that drink would do to him. I probably would've still stopped him, though. It's just my nature. I tend to help people in need. Even if they're the worst.

"Well, you're not going out through the front doors, that's for sure," he said, pulling back the curtains.

"What do you mean?"

"We need to get you out of here without anyone seeing you."

His voice had a finality to it that seemed incontestable.

But I had to argue, anyway.

"Esther - she mentioned the Bennett line. She needs me for her spell. She wouldn't allow Finn to harm me."

"That would certainly work out, except that neither Finn nor mother has any idea you are a Bennett. Finn, in particular, won't bother to ask."

"I thought _you_ were the impulsive one."

He grinned darkly. "We're _all_ impulsive."

"So, how are you going to get me out of here?"

"There's only one way. A passage under the house. It leads to the town square."

"A passage?"

"In the cellars."

Why? Why was it always the passage in the cellars? Why couldn't it be a pleasant car ride by the lake?

"And it's safe?"

"Safer than _here_, in any case."

* * *

It was a miracle we managed to get out of that study room unnoticed because there were people now walking up and down the corridors, people who were in search of someone, people who had a glazed look over their eyes.

"I see Finn wasted no time," Kol muttered, pulling me behind him as we turned another corner.

"What happens if they find us?"

"Well, if it's a vampire, you migraine him or I break his neck. That should keep him down for a while."

"And if it's human?"

Kol smirked, obviously enjoying my hesitation. How could he even do that at a time like this? What was so damn amusing?

"Tough luck, then. They'll be down _indefinitely_."

"Kol!"

"If you don't want me to feast on any casualties then you'd better stop asking questions and follow me. The sooner we get there, the better."

"Where is _there_?"

"Just a bit further."

Every couple of minutes we had to duck behind a door or some old piece of furniture. He couldn't speed me through because others would notice.

It was like an infernal game of cat and mouse and I felt we were losing. Funny how now Kol seemed to be on _my_ team. We were both being hunted.

We'd almost arrived at the stairs leading down into the cellars when we ran head-first into ...

Oh, no.

Matt.

No. Damn it.

"Bonnie! I've been looking everywhere for you! Something really strange is going on -"

He didn't get to finish that sentence. Kol was in his face in half a second.

"Hello, mate. Rebekah leave you behind?"

"I was just looking for Bonnie. She needs to come with me," Matt spoke adamantly.

"Didn't I already tell you she has an escort?"

Matt shook his head. "She has to come with me. I have to take her home. Something weird's going on. People are getting restless. It's not good."

"Is that so?" Kol asked lightly. "What gave you _that_ idea?"

"Matt, it's all right. Kol's taking me home too," I intervened, placing myself between them. Kol hadn't done anything yet, but I'd seen them interact before.

"He's - what? That's not happening," Matt spoke, clenching his jaw.

"I'm curious, Donovan, how _did_ you manage to find us exactly?" Kol asked, tilting his head.

And that's when I noticed Matt's eyes. He was struggling to break through the absent gaze, but it was obviously too strong for him. My heart sank.

He had been compelled.

"She's here! She's here!" he suddenly started yelling at the top of his lungs.

Kol grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and held him up in the air.

"Kol, don't!"

But it fell on deaf years. Matt was thrown against the opposing wall. He fell down, unconscious.

"You could've killed him!" I bellowed angrily, crouching down to check if Matt was all right. He was in bad shape, but he seemed fine. All vital signs intact. There might be a cracked rib, but nothing too harmful. Still, that had been completely reckless.

"What was I supposed to do, let him summon everyone in this house?!"

"You could've silenced him some other way!"

"Breaking his neck was the alternative. You take what you can."

I glowered at him. He was making it very difficult to listen to him.

"Now unless you want Finn to come down here I suggest you drop your friend and come with me."

* * *

Walking down those steps felt like descending into some other-worldly place. An underworld.

Everything was dark and damp. More darkness. Great. The hour spent in that wardrobe was apparently not enough.

How had I ended up here? The night started with me crashing a party and now, I was running off with Kol through an underground tunnel.

Halfway through that sentence something had gone wrong, something had gone terribly wrong.

He grabbed my hand and led me through the intricate passages of the first level. Then we climbed down another flight of stairs.

My hand felt small and warm in his. I wanted to pull away but I was afraid I'd get lost. Also, I was half-blind.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"As sure as the fact that you won't stop asking me about it."

"I feel like we've been walking in circles." I could dimly see his figure in front of me. His eyes sparked like burning coals in the dark.

"Well, we haven't obviously, since I found the entrance."

We stopped in front of what looked like a niche in the wall. It was as if someone had pulled out the bricks, one by one. Safe to say, it was narrow and led to an even darker passage, if possible.

I could smell mould all around me. Mice were scattering in the corners. Again, I had to ask myself how on Earth I'd ended up here. It didn't seem real.

"This tunnel, it wasn't built with the house, was it?"

"No. It was here before," he replied, touching the wall with his hand.

"I thought so. It must be the system of tunnels connecting all of Mystic Falls," I muttered, thinking back to all those "informal" history lessons with Alaric.

I don't know how, but I just knew Kol was smiling at me.

"We used to hide here whenever there was a full moon. All of us. These tunnels were our home."

"I'm guessing that's not in the recent past."

"Why do you think I knew how to get down here so quickly?"

"But you hid from werewolves, not other vampires. What if Finn -"

"Best hurry up and go through, then."

He offered his hand again and before I knew what was happening, I was already on the other side.

The air felt different, colder. The ground less smooth. Well, no cement here, just earth, mud and stones. And I was wearing a short dress and heels. Just my goddamn luck.

Thanks to my shoes, I almost tripped and fell over. Thankfully, Kol was there to steady me.

"Easy there. We've got to find our way out."

"I could do a locator spell, to see exactly where we are and where we need to go," I rambled, supporting myself against the wall as I went along.

I didn't feel like touching him anymore. I'd already reached my quota.

"No need. I think I still remember our old spots."

"I could start a fire. That way we'd be able to see where we're going."

"I wouldn't mind it, since fires don't harm me, but the smoke would kill you."

I rolled my eyes.

"Guess you haven't been around witches that long, after all. I wasn't talking about _that_ kind of fire."

"...show me."

I shut my eyes and focused on the path in front of us. It wasn't a particularly hard spell, but it did require more concentration.

Suddenly, I heard a soft sound, like a gasp. Kol was staring wide-eyed at a trail of fire, stretching down the length of the darkening tunnel. The flames rose timidly in the air, crackling from time to time.

I smiled, relieved.

"It looks strange," he remarked.

"It doesn't give off warmth. It's not real fire."

"What is it, then?" he asked, gazing at me, mesmerized.

"White fire."

* * *

_TBC_


	5. Chapter 5

**fifth chapter! I know it's a bit late, but school is a bust, so I'm struggling.  
**

**let me just say first that I NEVER expected to get so many reviews, you guys are amazing! Thanks to everyone for being so thoughtful!**

**Thanks to the anonymous guests too, sorry I can't message you (in answer to babydoll: in the episode, Esther says she needs the Bennett line so I incorporated that in the story, but it is a bit murky whether Esther is stronger or not. I would say Bonnie, at this point, needs to learn more but she has the potential!)**

**i really hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Catacombs - _Cloud Atlas OST

* * *

"_Don't_ touch it," I warned Kol as I saw his fingers reaching for the flames. "It's not real fire, but that doesn't mean you should tamper with it."

"What will it do to me?"

"It's not about what it will do to you, it's about what you'll do to _it_. Vampires shouldn't -"

"Touch what has been wrought by spirits or begot by the children of the Earth. Yes, I know, I've read some Grimoires in this life time," he recited monotonously.

I stared at him for a moment, wishing I could figure out what was behind his carefully constructed facade.

"You have?"

"Only the ones I managed to steal," he replied, insufferable smirk on his lips as usual.

"Stealing a Grimoire doesn't give you access to it."

"Do you think me daft? That's why I always had a witch at hand to decipher it for me."

"Well, that's not the same as reading it yourself, is it?" I retorted, feeling myself turning into the know-it-all judgmental Bennett again. She always came out around people like him.

Kol didn't miss a beat.

"Nothing escapes you, Bonnie Bennett. But I've actually learned how to do it by myself. Give me yours and I'll show you," he replied, his smirk turning into a grin.

I rolled my eyes. Like that was ever gonna happen.

But I couldn't shake off the feeling that he was not what he seemed. Yeah, big surprise, I know.

I'd never met a vampire who had such intimate knowledge of witchcraft. Well, I'd never met anyone who was this interested in our methods. I guess it made sense. It was smart to learn as much as you could about the enemy.

I suddenly realized he knew more about my kind than I did about his and that rubbed me the wrong way.

"Why do you want to know so much about witches?" I asked, a bit more disgruntled than I'd intended.

Kol raised his eyebrow again. Ugh.

"Bothered?"

"No. I'm just - nevermind, it's strange, is all."

To his credit, he didn't press me any further. That might be because I started walking at a fast pace (well, as fast as you _could_ go in heels) down the tunnel, following the light. The further we walked, the quicker the fire sprawled in front of us and died in our wake.

It was weird, there was only light ahead and darkness behind.

I heard his steps behind me.

"You haven't invited a vampire into your home, have you?"

"No, I don't have a death wish."

Kol chuckled. "Thought so. Well, I suppose your house will keep you safe from Finn. For a while."

"You'll tell him I'm a Bennett witch and he'll lay off, right?"

"I suppose. _Mother_'s orders."

I noticed he almost spat the word in disgust. I couldn't exactly blame him.

"About what Esther said, when we were upstairs," I began, testing the waters.

There was a pause.

"You'll have to be more specific, darling."

"Something about the Bennett line helping her with the spell."

Another ominous pause.

"Yes, what of it? We've already established she needs you."

He wasn't going to make this easy, was he? Well, I wasn't going to talk if he wasn't, so I remained quiet.

We kept walking through those dreary tunnels, taking lefts and rights and stopping from time to time so Kol could figure out where we were.

"Ah, these places are so familiar. I remember it like it was yesterday."

"How could you live down here?" I asked, shivering from the cold. It was so damp and miserable, I couldn't imagine spending another minute there.

He probably noticed my discomfort, because he shrugged off his suit jacket and offered it to me.

"No, thanks, I'm okay," I lied. I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of wearing his clothing. And, just no.

I forgot vampires can play with speed.

He was behind me in a flash and had already slipped the damn thing down my shoulders.

"And to answer your question," he added, his hands on the lapels, "we didn't have a choice. Sometimes you build a home wherever you can. And you grow fond of it, in time."

I pushed his hands away, pulling the jacket around me.

"Thanks."

His smile suddenly vanished as he looked back towards the way we'd come. That could only mean trouble.

"What is it?"

"I hear steps. My brother is probably not far behind."

"Damn it, now what?"

I was starting to panic. This was _not_ how I'd envisioned tonight or any night of my life to go.

My feet wobbled. My hands were currently battling for the title of sweatiest palms in the universe. I was down under with two Originals. It couldn't get any worse.

"We have two choices, hurry or hide. Finn is faster, so we'd have a better chance at hiding."

I was wrong.

"Hide? Hide where?"

"There are some...remote corners in this place Finn might not know about. Some are fonder of these tunnels than others, you see."

"Can you get us there?" I asked, fully aware that was an extremely bad idea. I'd already been trapped with him in a giant wardrobe.

"Can I?" he echoed arrogantly.

Ugh. Smarmy bastard.

"Just do it then."

* * *

There was a hole in the ground. A dark, round hole. Like the kind you see in Alice in Wonderland. Except, as we all know, Wonderland was a pretty messed up place.

Kol was already lowering himself into it.

"Is this really a good idea?" I almost squeaked.

It was much colder now since we'd gone deeper into the caverns. You could actually see icicle-shaped stalactites hanging from the roof.

"I thought you wanted a place to hide."

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"No, but I can tell you no one will find us down here."

"Why?"

"See for yourself," he said, offering a hand to pull me down.

"I have to extinguish the fire."

"No worries. There's light where we're going."

I'm pretty sure I was staring at him as if he'd gone insane.

"That doesn't sound -"

"Will you just take my hand or do I have to grab you by force?"

"As if you could," I retorted, annoyed.

The white fire went out, leaving me in complete darkness. When I looked down, however, I saw a soft, green light coming from the hole.

Gritting my teeth and praying I wouldn't die, I took hold of his hand and then his arms were around my waist and I was sinking into the earth.

I landed on something wet and mushy, like a waterbed.

I noticed small rivulets of water running down my thighs into the soil.

Nothing could prepare me for the sight when I looked up.

That green light I'd seen before was coming from a large body of water. It was some sort of underground lake, stretching into the depths of the cavern. I couldn't see its end.

We were standing on its banks.

Fully aware I'd probably ruin my dress if it wasn't already ruined, I clambered on my hands and knees towards the edge of the water.

I looked down into the glowing liquid. It was so clear you could see to the bottom. It was covered in algae. That sort of explained the color.

A small dark boulder rose from the lake far off in the distance. It, too, was covered in algae.

"What is this place?" I asked, mesmerized.

Kol chuckled and crouched down, dipping his fingers into the water.

"Our underground swimming pool, obviously."

I glared. "Kol."

"What, you think vampires don't swim?"

"Kol."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine. See that rock over there?"

I nodded.

"Mother would sit there for ages on end once every full moon."

I stared. "Why?"

"She is mother. No one ever knows _why_ she does things."

"Wait, how do _you_ know about it?"

Kol smirked. "Thought you'd ask. She never told us what she did down here. Most of us didn't know what down here _was_. But I was a bit more persistent. I followed her and watched her in secret."

I felt a chill run down my spine.

"That's the creepiest thing I've ever heard."

Kol only rolled his eyes. "_Please_. I just wanted to know. I was always suspicious of mother. I do _not_ like secrets."

"But you didn't find out what she was up to, did you?"

"No. She just sat there like a statue for hours. I suppose only witches have access to that knowledge."

He glanced at me sideways, as if to say, _I_ could find out if I wanted to.

I ignored him and drew away from the bank.

"How long do we have to stay down here?"

"It's safe to wait a while."

I sighed, already knowing that would be the answer. Tonight had been all about sneaking around, making impossible escapes.

I was still shocked to be _here_, at an underground _lake_. Of all the places in the world...

I could sense the rock behind me, sticking out of the water like a sore thumb.

Still, it was hard to ignore how magnificent it looked. I'd never seen anything like it.

"So, Bonnie," his voice interrupted my train of thoughts, "now that we are alone and safe from prying ears, I'd like to continue our previous discussion."

"The one about you watching your mother in secret?"

"No," he said and I could hear the dangerous inflection in his voice. "The one about your line helping my mother."

* * *

_TBC_


	6. Chapter 6

**new chapter! this one's a pretty long conversation between Kol and Bonnie.**

**thanks to all the wonderful reviewers for the encouragement, it's really helpful, especially when I feel nervous about my writing :)**

**thanks to the lovely anonymous reviewers too: Guest (thank you!), angelamarias (please don't die, I've updated :)), Stacie (hope this chapter makes up for the cruelty :)).**

**hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Interchanging mind control,_

_Come let the revolution take its toll, _

_If you could flick a switch and open your third eye, _

_You'd see that_

_We should never be afraid to die._

Muse - Uprising

* * *

"Will you do it, then?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine. "Will you help her?"

The question felt loaded. And it was. How _do_ you answer something like that? Yes, Kol, I will help your crazy mom kill the rest of your siblings. Or no, Kol, I'll just refuse and wait for her to kill me first.

"I - I don't know." It was the best answer I could give him at the moment.

"You don't _know_?" he echoed sharply.

"It's not that simple."

"Yes, it is. She's a madwoman, the maddest of her kind. And she is a murderer to boot. Will you aid a murderer?"

I kept staring at the lake like an idiot. I don't know what I was expecting. A distraction, maybe.

"Why do you care?" I rounded on him, trying to buy some time.

"What do you mean what do I care? They're my family."

"Yes, but _you_ won't be affected. She can't turn you mortal with the rest. She can't really hurt you. And you were the one who told me you wouldn't mind if Klaus were dead."

Kol sighed and shook his head, as if I'd missed the whole point.

"Of course I want the bastard dead! Doesn't mean I want him to become a helpless mortal!"

"Oh, sorry, my mistake," I drawled, annoyed. "Here I thought being dead was worse than being human."

"You're not human yourself, Bonnie, and you know it."

"But I'm not undead, am I?"

"Unfortunately for you."

It was my turn to sigh.

"I'd have to kill myself all over again if I turned into a vampire."

Kol raised an eyebrow. "I've breached a touchy subject, I gather."

"Look, my point is that maybe your siblings becoming mortal isn't _so_ bad."

There was a notable pause after my words. Kol looked outraged. I might as well have told him becoming frogs was an option worth considering.

But really now, would it be so terrible for the Originals to learn a little humility? I'm sure some of them, at least, missed being human. And they'd be less of a danger to society in general if they didn't have fangs and supernatural abilities. Less of a danger to themselves too.

"Did you forget the part where my mother then proceeds to kill them?" Kol asked quietly, barely able to contain his rage. "She only wants them to be human so that they are easier to finish off."

I hadn't forgotten, but I couldn't tell him that 'hey your siblings kind of...deserve it?'

There was a middle road, however. I was 80% sure he would hate it, though.

"Then I won't let her finish them off."

Kol blinked surprised.

"You mean to say, once they're mortal, you'll protect them?"

"I - yes, that's what I mean."

He laughed bitterly. "Might as well let them die, then."

"You know, I'm not _obligated_ to help you. I could just as well do nothing. But I'm willing to protect your family, despite the fact that they pretty much deserve whatever they get."

Kol stared at me. "So why are you willing, if you hate us so much?"

"Well, I can't just not..." I trailed off, trying to think of something to say.

Hang on, why _was_ I willing? These were the Originals. Anyone who could remove them from the face of the Earth would be considered a hero. They were the bad guys. Esther's self-destructive plan was actually a free token. She was basically doing us a favor. _Why_ would I do anything to stand in her way?

I realized now that this was what had been bothering me for the better part of the night. This nagging question: why?

"Let me tell you why you're willing. Because you feel guilty. You wish you hadn't heard my mother's plans. Ignorance would have absolved you. But you can't go back. You _know_, which means you're involved. Doing nothing and keeping quiet is just as good as killing them yourself. And you couldn't live with that, even if they are what they are."

I gaped at him. It wasn't one hundred percent accurate, but it wasn't far from the truth.

I know vampires that old have met all kinds of people in their life and can probably read them like a book, but we'd hardly talked enough for him to figure out that I had a pretty strong conscience. Maybe it's just that obvious with me.

"Let's pretend that were true. It doesn't change the fact that your siblings would be better off as humans," I replied.

Kol rolled his eyes. "No matter how much you seem to love humanity, mother won't allow you to keep them alive. You may be strong, but you're no match for her."

"Then why the hell do you think I could prevent her from turning them into mortals in the first place?"

"I never implied that you could. I just want to know if you _would_. It's the principle of things."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You just want to know?!"

"It's the principle of it," he repeated sternly.

"Why do you care what I would do? Didn't you just say I wouldn't be able to live with it?"

"I know, but I want to hear it from your own mouth. So I'll ask again; would you aid a murderer?"

I turned away from him. There was a fog in my head. I don't know how we'd gotten here. Why was I being questioned like this? What could I possibly do -

But if there was a way to stop Esther, would I do it?

The strange thing is that, had you asked me this a day before, I would've probably said no. I mean I don't think it's okay for a mother to do that to her own children but I guess I understand part of her reasoning; she'd created monsters, now she wanted to rid the world of said monsters. Any normal person would.

Except, I'd seen Rebekah dance with Matt and she'd laughed and acted like a normal teenage girl. I'd heard about Elijah's honor, his gentlemanly ways, his moral code. Finn, whom I knew nothing about, seemed so loyal to his mother, so blinded by his love and devotion for her. Hell, even Klaus had a _human_ side. He seemed to like Caroline and he did not lack a sense of humor.

And Kol was...well, Kol. As far as I could tell, he just liked having stupid fun and causing a riot. He was still a kid. He had a short temper too, like most of his family.

It was hard to think of them as faceless monsters. They had personalities and thoughts. Maybe hopes and dreams. Not that I wanted to know.

Yes, they'd all done terrible things and I couldn't tolerate their past actions.

But I couldn't tolerate wiping them out of existence just because one woman wanted to silence her conscience either.

It didn't seem...right.

It made her no better.

"Say it. I want you to say it," he persisted, watching me intently.

I groaned. He was not going to let this go.

"Admit it."

"Okay! Fine! I wouldn't aid a murdered. I wouldn't help your psychotic mother turn you. _Happy_?"

His smirk took me by surprise. What the hell was so amusing?!

"Quite. I enjoy being right."

Ugh. Smug bastard.

"But now that you've given me confirmation, we need to figure out a way to upset her plans. Because she _will_ come to you."

"Wow, wow, wow, _we_ need to figure it out?! What happened to 'it's the principle of it'?!"

Kol smirked. "I lied. Of course it matters if you can stop her. And I have no principles."

Oh, how I wanted to hit him.

"Just because I don't agree with your mother's unorthodox methods, doesn't mean I'm agreeing to help you -"

"Then why did you stop me from attacking her when we were in that wardrobe?"

I frowned. "What do you mean? You were being reckless, she would have decimated you -"

"So you wanted me _not_ to be decimated."

"You're putting words in my mouth!" I sputtered, growing red. Was it my fault that my first instinct was to help people?

"Which means you helped me."

"That's not -"

"And you also kept me from drinking that champagne."

"That was an accident -"

"Fine. Look me in the eye and tell me that you would let me drink that champagne, if you could go back in time."

Okay, that was not fair. That was not fair, at all.

"It would be a lot easier, wouldn't it? You wouldn't even be involved anymore. I'd be on my way to a certain death right now and you wouldn't be stuck underground, hiding from my brother."

Damn him. He was relentless. He knew I'd change nothing. He knew I'd still choose to save him.

A couple of hours had changed so much.

He was still a stranger, but after tonight, could I actually watch him die and not bat an eyelid?

It's not that I was wrong about him; he was a pompous asshole who'd probably killed thousands.

But it's weird; once you start talking to someone and you discover things about them and get stuck in confined spaces with them and explore Mystic Falls' secret tunnels together, you sort of see that person in relation to you and it's harder to imagine them dead.

It's like visiting a house before demolition.

You literally know nothing about that house except what you briefly saw on your visit, but it's still a bit difficult to watch it crumble down to nothing but bricks and mortar.

I was feeling the mother of all headaches coming on.

"If your mother comes to me for help and I refuse, she won't be too happy. She'll either make me or..."

The alternative was too frightening to consider.

He was suddenly two inches away from me and had his hands on my shoulders.

"There's no if. She _will_ ask and you _will_ refuse and she _will_ try to make you. But I won't let that happen to you. Whatever she intends to do. Do you understand?"

I shook my head. No, I didn't really. What did he mean he wouldn't let it happen?

"I'll keep you safe. I'll take you away from here, if I have to. Some place she can't find you."

I stepped back dizzily.

"Take me away?"

"If it comes to that."

"That's not _your_ choice. You can't just take me away from my home, my town -"

"Bonnie, she will threaten you with your life."

"No, she needs me alive for what she's got planned."

"She needs _a_ Bennett witch. You're dispensable."

"Then I - I'll fight back. She's stronger, but not invincible."

"You're talking about the eldest witch."

"And _I_ come from the most powerful witch line."

Kol smiled. "Your brazenness is charming."

"I _won't_ run away. No matter what."

He made a face. "You're being difficult. But _fine_. You are not used to a nomad's life, I suppose. You've made roots here. All rubbish, really. But it's not your fault."

"Rubbish? Just because you don't have a real home doesn't mean I don't!"

That must have touched a sensitive spot.

He enveloped me in one of his shrewd and calculating looks.

"Say what you will, but it would be much easier to kill you, all things considered."

My mouth flew open.

I stepped back and my foot landed in water. I was now on the edge of the lake.

"Think about it; no one knows we're down here, no one even knows this particular location and you don't know how to get out. I could easily rip your head off before you had time to blink. I would then throw your body at the bottom of the lake. Who would find you?"

I pushed him away roughly, focusing all my magic in my fingertips.

I needed to get out, I needed to get away from him.

His death grip seized my arm.

"But I haven't and I won't, despite the fact that it solves most of my problems. Without you in the picture, mother would have to start looking somewhere else. As added bonus, Finn wouldn't feel the need to kill me anymore, because I wouldn't be covering the identity of the person who ruined mother's plans. It all works out, you see."

Against my better judgment, I let my curiosity prevail.

"Then...why not?"

He chuckled, pulling me closer to him.

"You're a morbid little one. The notion of your death doesn't seem to scare you as much as it should."

No, I was pretty damn scared. But it did seem _morbidly_ logical for him to go down that route.

"I won't kill you for the same reason I stayed hidden when you told me to. I owe you."

I looked up at him confused. "You have a funny way of showing your gratitude."

"Then I must be doing it right."

I rolled my eyes.

So, if he didn't owe me, he would just get rid of me. What a class-act. But I wouldn't be scared anymore. He couldn't hurt me, even if he chose to.

Right?

"I'm not leaving with you," I said at length. "Especially now that - I don't respond well to threats, even hypothetical ones."

Kol let me go.

"Sorry. Had to shake you up a bit. But now you know you're safe with me."

Actually, no, Kol. I don't.

"You should leave town," I added, thinking about what would happen when Esther found out _why_ I was refusing to help her. "It's better if you stayed away from her."

Kol shook his head.

"Then I'll just have to be your shadow from now on," he muttered under his breath.

If I'd been drinking at the moment, I would've spat liquid everywhere.

"What?"

"I'm in your debt. Mother will try to force your hand. I can't have that. Two plus two..." he trailed off, letting me arrive at my own conclusion.

"You're not -"

"But I am. Get used to seeing me night and day."

* * *

_TBC_


	7. Chapter 7

***clears throat* ahem, yes I realize this is an obscenely late update. And I know I'm pretty terrible, I'm sorry. I had a writer's slump for a while. I hope you can forgive me.  
**

**I'd like to give thanks to all of you for being amazing and still reading and reviewing, I mean wow, I did not expect so many! You guys are so nice and thoughtful, thank you!  
**

**anonymous reviewers: Stacie (thank you! glad you're enjoying it), Dioramanya (me either :)), Guest (thank you, sorry for the wait), HGM (I agree with most of your points, but I'd say with fanfiction you can change some things that are strictly canon. and even on the show I personally find Esther very manipulative, hypocritical and two-faced, so I suppose my vision was influenced by that. She was ready to let Elena die until she could find a way to use her and if given a chance, she would have thrown the Bennetts under the bus too, only to further her plans. I see her as a Cersei Lannister sort of character. I can understand how my portrayal offended you, I know she has suffered at Klaus' hands, but that's not her entire family. I hope I can make Esther more dimensional, even though she does do the things she preaches against, sometimes), Guest (aww, thank you very much), Guest (sorry for the wait!), Guest (again, super sorry, here it is:), boomkarakaraka05 (thank you, i'm so sorry you had to wait). **

**So, I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it's a tad short. Next one will be longer, I promise (there will be a showdown too, so a lot more action). **

**Please let me know what you think!**

* * *

_This world is gonna burn, burn burn burn_

_ As long as we're going down..._

_ Baby you should stick around_

_ Baby you should stick around_

MS MR - Dark Doo Wop

* * *

Turns out, all roads lead to the Grill.

No, really. The underground tunnel led us straight to the bar. Kol made some joke about stopping for drinks. I couldn't find any humor in it. An angry Original was on our tracks, there was nothing funny about that.

"Finn is probably moving in circles, anyway. He doesn't know the town so well. Always tried to get away from the place."

Gee, I can't fathom why.

"If this is your half-assed attempt to make me feel safer-"

There was a sound, like a crash. I stopped dead in my tracks. Kol was not far behind me. He gave me a curious look.

"Did you hear that?"

We were in the back room. Several crates of beer were blocking the way. Sure, it could have been some bottle that had rolled on the floor, but I couldn't take my chances.

"Must have been a rat," Kol explained.

"This is Mystic Falls. It's never just some rat."

I tried to be extra-quiet as we slipped out of the back room into the bar, but I knew that if Finn had already found us, it wouldn't really matter if we stayed quiet or not.

The place looked packed with people, which was a good thing. We could blend in a lot easier. The music was loud and there was noisy laughter and talking, so no one would pay much attention to us. One or two heads turned to see the weirdos coming out from the back wearing gala clothes, but we were safe. I hoped.

"The whole town must be here," Kol commented, looking around.

"Do you see your brother anywhere?"

"If I did, would we be standing here? No, he's not in sight. But he can't be far behind."

"Let's just get out of here."

We strolled past a couple of tables, pretending to be casual about it, but I could recognize some guys from school giving me sidelong glances.

I think I looked a bit shaken up.

"Once we're out, can you speed me through? My house is not far off."

Kol nodded his head. "If it's safe."

We were nearing the entrance. I could already feel the night breeze on my face.

"Little brother?"

Kol stopped dead in his tracks. I was about to ask him what was wrong, when I saw the blond woman behind him. My stomach dropped below sea-level.

"Rebekah," Kol greeted her, putting on a mischievous smile. "What brings you here, sister?"

"I was going to ask you the same question, actually," she said, folding her arms.

Kol suddenly put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him.

"I decided to quit the party for something a little bit more entertaining," he replied, smirking in my direction.

I almost gagged. _This_ was his cover-up? Well, it was probably better than the truth.

Rebekah frowned at me.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Uh, school probably," I muttered, trying to sound indifferent. I leaned into Kol and tried to smile, hoping she'd buy this pretend-fling.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow.

"Is she compelled?"

Kol put a hand to his chest.

"Moi?" he asked, scandalized. "I would never treat a lady like that."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Well, isn't she a lucky one."

"Is the rest of our beloved family still at the party, or are they drinking their night away at a local bar, like you?"

I glared at Kol. What was he doing, taunting her? Didn't he know we had to draw as little attention as possible?

Rebekah jeered. "Oh, you're so clever, little brother. I'm actually here with someone."

She pointed to the other end of the room, where I saw Damon Salvatore sitting on a bar stool, waving his drink at her.

Oh, shit. Damon. He'd definitely remind Rebekah who I was.

My hand snuck across Kol's back and tugged at his shirt. He seemed to understand. He started pulling me towards the door.

"Well, I'd better be off, my lady is getting impatient," he said, his hand lowering to the small of my back. I fought the instinct to push it away.

Rebekah made a face. "Disgusting."

"Like you aren't thinking of screwing that Salvatore senseless," Kol quipped, one foot out the door.

He didn't wait to see her reaction, but I did. She was fuming, to say the least.

"Is it really smart to anger another Original? We already have your mom and Finn hunting us down."

"Bekah doesn't follow mother blindly, like Finn. And I can trust she'll be equally displeased about Esther's actions when she finds out. Besides, darling, you forget I'm an Original, too. My sister's tantrums don't scare me."

I rolled my eyes. "You'd better hope she doesn't tell Finn –"

"Give me your hand."

"Wha –"

Time stopped for a split second as I was pulled into a vortex of light and then everything was jittery and dizzy. It's like I was about to vomit from too much drinking.

I fell to my knees in the grass.

I was kneeling in front of my lawn. We were at my house.

"You could've warned me," I muttered, pulling myself together.

"Speeding is terrible for a human with or without warning."

I made a mental note never to try that again.

We didn't waste any more time. I practically run up my porch and unlocked my door. I stepped over my threshold and let out a sigh of relief. I was safe. They couldn't come after me.

Kol stood on the porch, watching me amused.

"Mission accomplished, then."

I nodded my head.

"Thanks," I said, weakly.

Kol smirked. "Well, I suppose your pride can survive a show of gratitude."

I had the impulse to stick my tongue out, but I remembered I was no longer five.

"I'll be outside, on the lookout," he added. "Unless you'd like to invite me in."

I snorted. "Not in this century."

Kol raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, right," I realized, "you would actually be here next century. Bad joke."

"So, got any good books while I wait?"

I scratched my head, trying to think of something that would entertain a thousand-year old vampire.

"What do you usually like?"

"Oh, you know, a bit of Boethius here and there, some Cavalcanti…maybe Samuel Butler."

"Yeah, I don't know who any of those are, so…"

He sighed dramatically. "Best try and remember the good ol' days before modern civilization, then."

"Oh, spare me. You can't be the brother who's into classical things. You're the black sheep of the family, aren't you? You're supposed to love the twentieth century and anything that comes after."

"Who says black sheep aren't cultured?"

"I do. So answer me this, how long will you have to do this whole standing-outside-my-house-protecting-me thing?"

"Well, mother and Finn are bound to make an appearance soon. If and when they give up on this lunacy and decide to leave the rest of the family alone, I will gladly return to my plans of ruining Nik's life for letting me rot for a hundred years."

"So…all you want is revenge on your brother?"

"That and to go back to tasting Europe's finest."

I made a disgusted face. "Gross."

"You say that because you have obviously never sated your appetite on something truly exquisite."

"Pass," I replied, bile rising in my throat. "What if your mom and Finn don't stop?"

"Well, you're the one who wants to stay in this godforsaken town. I offered to take you with me…"

"Pass _again_. Got any other ideas, besides acting as my babysitter?"

Kol smirked. "Does that make you the baby?"

Siiiigh.

I had a sneaking suspicion this was going to be him 24/7. But it was oddly comforting to know I had one (annoying) Original on my side.

"Why are you doing this, anyway? Why don't you just leave and make sure they never find you?" I asked him out of curiosity.

Kol frowned. "I told you. _I owe you_. That's why I didn't kill you when I had the chance, that's why I'm not going anywhere. I'm showing my gratitude."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, sure, but it seems weird for someone like you to actually follow up on that."

Kol tilted his head in thought. "You have no idea about the concept of owing someone in the immortal world, do you? Vampires have a different definition of debts."

"What do you mean?"

"A life-debt - which is what I owe you - in vampire terms is like a Magna Carta; a sacred contract. Vampire life is harder to extinguish. Therefore, the price for it is dearer. Immortals are exempt from death, so when a situation arises that might endanger that condition they tend to value their salvation more than humans, who expect to die, no matter what."

"So what you're basically saying is that your life is more valuable than mine, if I got it right."

Kol shrugged his shoulders. "Any immortal life is more valuable than a short human one. It's logical. But this is good news for you, since not even the Mikaelsons can break the "sacred contract"."

"What happens if you _do_ break it?"

Kol looked out into the night, as if the darkness held all the answers.

He turned to me quite suddenly.

"You _don't_ break it. And vampires who have done it in the past were strangely never seen or heard from again."

"They died?"

Kol shrugged. "No one knows. But I wouldn't want to find out. See, I'm reckless, not stupid."

I muttered a "could've fooled me" under a breath.

Kol peered at the empty hallway.

"Where are your parents, anyway?"

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to meet them. They're away."

_They're always away._

Then it hit me.

"Shit. My parents."

"Yes, tedious individuals. My own mother is a pain in the –"

"No! You don't get it, if Esther finds out I won't do her bidding, she'll resort to my mother. And mom _is_ a powerful witch. Esther will definitely want her. We practically opened the coffin together!"

As the words came out of my mouth, I could feel the sickening feeling of complete dread take over my every function. Blood was rushing in my ears.

"…oh God, she'll be in danger, won't she?"

Kol was in worry-mode now too.

"I don't think mother will resort to violence against a witch she needs –"

"Like hell she won't! She's ready to kill her own children!"

"We need to think about this with a clear head."

How did this night go from "I" to "we"?

"Think with a clear head? Esther is a psychopath, you've said it yourself. She'll probably threaten both me and mom and then…" I trailed off, the idea too frightening to imagine.

Cool fingers gripped my shoulders. I hadn't noticed I'd come closer to him.

"Bonnie, you can't panic, all right? I've got this under control –"

"Maybe I should just let Esther have her way. Maybe I _should_ help her," I spoke and my voice sounded hollow to me. Defeated.

Everything had gone from bad to worse in seconds.

"I mean, it's my mom. I can't let anything happen to her. I _have_ to help Esther."

I expected Kol to lash out angrily and claim that I was going back on my promise. I expected him to be furious.

But strangely, he didn't say anything.

He only tilted my chin up with the tip of his fingers.

"Tell me, when the two of you opened her coffin, did it put a strain on your magic?"

I knew what he meant. I remembered that night perfectly. Mother and I had nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Abby was definitely spent. One more second and I thought she'd -

"That's what I thought," Kol continued. "Imagine what will happen to your magic when Esther demands the impossible from you. Because she _will_ demand it."

I held my breath as his fingers traced my jaw.

"And after you pledge your allegiance to her, you think that is all she'll ask of you? You think she won't use your powers for as long as she sees fit?" he asked gently, his voice bringing me a strange sense of clarity.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll let you in on a secret, darling. Esther is not just any witch. She's a power-hungry witch. She doesn't just want us gone because she feels remorse. That is not a sentiment my mother can reproduce. No. Esther wants to _rule_. And what better way to get all the spirits of the Earth to align in your favor than to exterminate the most powerful vampires alive?"

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I asked, pulling his hand away, but he grabbed my hand before I could let go.

"You know. You feel it. You saw it in her eyes. You heard it in her voice. She craves your power for herself."

Maybe he was wrong, maybe he was right, my mind was too muddled with other more pressing concerns to really weigh in Esther's character, but I could tell he was at least being sincere. He believed what he said. There was this need in his eyes, a need to be believed that had nothing to do with vampire compulsion. I read fear, too. It's as if he'd seen the monster behind the mask. Suddenly, I wondered what he had witnessed when he had spied on his mother many years ago.

"I can't let her hurt my mother. I need to protect her, Kol."

"Then _we_'ll protect her."

There it was again, the "we". But this time, it didn't feel so bad.

"How touching. You two look like star-crossed lovers."

We both turned at the same time. I gasped.

Esther Mikaelson walked out of my living room. She was wearing a smug smile on her lips.

"Oh, Kol, sweetheart, you must forgive my interrupting. You left the party early. I grew concerned."

Kol glared.

"Just like you, mother, watching after your children."

"I do my best," she spoke and her smile widened.

"Invite me in," he whispered urgently in my ear.

"Miss Bennett, we never had the pleasure of being formally introduced, which I deeply regret, since I owe you and your mother a great deal for releasing me from my prison…"

"No introductions are needed," I snipped, clenching my fists.

I did not appreciate her coming into my house this way or her condescending tone.

"Then you know why I am here and why I couldn't be here sooner."

I could feel Kol drilling holes in my back. But I couldn't risk it, not yet. I couldn't just invite him in.

"Actually, I don't have a clue and I'd rather you left –"

"Let's not play coy. It was an unfortunate accident that you got yourself in this perfect mess and I blame myself for not taking better care of my reception. You see, there's a reason why the Bennetts did not receive an invitation."

And suddenly, it all made sense. Esther knew that if another witch was there, she'd notice her little spell.

"What do you want?" I asked, putting on my most intimidating expression.

"If you don't invite me in right now…" Kol was whispering in the back of my neck, but I ignored him.

"What any mother wants. Her children."

"Speaking of those, mother, where is darling Finn, your golden boy?" Kol asked out loud, forcing a grim smirk on his face.

"Oh, I've sent him to find Miss Bennett's mother. I know you're a fine witch, Bonnie, but I will need your mother too if I wish to channel the entire Bennett line."

All the blood drained from my face.

My worst fears had come alive.

I felt my vision going blurry. The night was taking its toll on me. I swayed dangerously, but Kol was there and his hands steadied me. There was no warmth, but his hold gave me strength.

"You can't!"

"But I already have," Esther replied calmly.

Kol was suddenly whispering in my ear again.

"Mother won't harm you. I will stop Finn. Trust me, Bonnie."

And then, he was gone.

I stood there for a moment, feeling very stupid.

The Original who said he'd be my shadow and protect me, had run away. The vampire who'd told me he was bound by a "sacred contract" not to betray me, had left.

Of course, he was going to stop Finn. He was going to save my mother.

But would he? Would he, really?

Would he really find her? Would he keep her alive?

I had no idea. I had no guarantees.

Esther sighed, rolling her eyes.

"The young ones can make such a fuss. I'm afraid I've spoilt Kol. Don't worry, I haven't gone wrong with the eldest. Finn will take care of him."

She offered me another deceptive smile. "Shall we sit and wait?"

_I will take you down, _I thought, watching her move into the living room.

"Don't make yourself at home," I replied curtly.

_Goddammit, Kol. You'd better come back with Abby, _I thought, stepping back into the house.

It was insane, how I was hoping the Original would come back. How I was actually trusting him to save my mother.

And less than six hour ago, I didn't even know him or _want_ to know him, for that matter.

* * *

_TBC_


End file.
